Carl Wark Iron Age fort near Hathersage, Derbyshire

Carl Wark

Local Services:

Local Geography:

The hill known as Carl Wark lies close to Higgar Tor between Stanage and Burbage Edges. It rises high above Burbage Brook and is a fine natural defensive position, so it was used as a fort long ago.

It is very likely that the hill was fortified in the Iron Age (or earlier) at the same time as Mam Tor, which you can see from Higgar Tor, only a few hundred metres away, and a plaque alongside the hill records this. However, archaeologists now tend towards the view that the massive fortifications which can still be seen at the western entrance were probably constructed in the Romano-British period at the start of the Dark Ages, maybe about 500 AD, so the fort has a long and probably complex history of occupation.

Along with nearby Higgar Tor, the hill is a fine viewpoint and makes a nice walk from the Fox House Inn on the Hathersage to Sheffield road.

Carl Wark Photo Gallery - click on the images to enlarge- Click Here for a slide show

0 - Carl Wark (left) and Higgar Tor from Burbage Brook

1 - Carl Wark ramparts

2 - Higgar Tor from Carl Wark

How to get there

By Road:
From Sheffield take the A625 road to Fox House, turn right, and continue towards Hathersage for 200m until the road crosses Burbage Brook. Parking may be possible there, but it is preferable to turn left at Fox House and park in the Longshaw Estate car parks. Coming from Bakewell, take the A619/B6001 to Calver, then turn right onto the A625 below Froggatt. From the west, take the A623 from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Calver Sough, turn left at the lights and then right immediately onto the A625. Whichever way you drive, you need to walk from the A625 up Burbage Brook a short distance, then cross the brook and head uphill for 1km approximately.

By Bus: the 240 Sheffield to Bakewell bus and 272 Sheffield to Castleton bus pass Fox House.

By Train: Grindleford/Padley station is a very pleasant 4km walk up Burbage Brook to reach Carl Wark.
When is it open?

Open all year.
What does it cost?

Free - on open access land

Prices and opening times are shown as a guideline only and may vary.

Carl Wark Iron Age fort near Hathersage, Derbyshire

The hill known as Carl Wark lies close to Higgar Tor between Stanage and Burbage Edges on the moors above Hathersage. It rises high above Burbage Brook and is a fine natural defensive position, so it was used as a fort long ago, especially in the Iron Age and the Romano-British period.

Carl Wark